Research

Research & Publications

Evidence-based research in health economics, health technology assessment, public policy, and indigenous community development.

Focus Areas

Areas of Research

Health Economics & Outcomes Research

Advancing evidence-based understanding of how health interventions deliver value, with particular focus on Nepal's healthcare system. Research on cost-effectiveness, burden of disease, and healthcare resource allocation.

Health Technology Assessment

Pioneering HTA research in Nepal's policy context — examining how evidence-based tools can systematically evaluate medical technologies to guide more rational, transparent, and equitable health policy decisions.

Public Policy & Governance

Research on government reform, public service delivery, and the architecture of accountable governance. Drawing on direct experience in Nepal's administration to analyse institutional performance and citizen outcomes.

Indigenous Studies & Community Development

Research exploring indigenous community dynamics, land rights, youth livelihoods, and rural development. Situated within Nepal's rich sociological diversity and the lived experience of the Sunuwar community.

Agriculture & Rural Livelihoods

Collaborative research examining youth engagement in agriculture, labour mobility, and sustainable livelihoods in Nepal's rural communities, published in leading international agrarian journals.

Gender & Social Inclusion

Sociological research on women's roles in community decision-making, gender justice in public administration, and inclusive approaches to governance and development in Nepal.

Publications

Journal Articles & Papers

Journal Article · Value in Health · 2025

Improving the Healthcare System through Health Technology Assessment: A Case Study of Nepal

Sunuwar, T. R., et al.

Value in Health — Advance Online Publication (2025)

Health Technology Assessment Health Policy Nepal HEOR ISPOR

This paper examines how Health Technology Assessment (HTA) can be used to improve Nepal's healthcare system, providing a systematic framework for evidence-based evaluation of medical technologies and therapies to guide rational resource allocation and policy decisions. The research draws on primary field data and policy analysis to propose a practical HTA model for Nepal's institutional context.

View on Journal Website DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2025.06.014
Journal Article · Journal of Agrarian Change · 2025

Unpacking Youth Engagement in Agriculture: Land, Labour Mobility and Youth Livelihoods in Rural Nepal

Sunam, R., Sugden, F., Kharel, A., Sunuwar, T. R., & Ito, T.

Journal of Agrarian Change, 25(1), e12611 (2025)

Rural Livelihoods Youth & Agriculture Labour Mobility Nepal

This study unpacks the complex relationships between land ownership, labour mobility, and youth livelihoods in rural Nepal. It examines why young people are engaging or disengaging from agriculture and how policy interventions can support meaningful rural livelihoods for Nepal's next generation, with implications for food security and rural development.

View on Journal Website DOI: 10.1111/joac.12611
Master's Research Paper · University of Tokyo · 2020

Improving the Healthcare System through Health Technology Assessment: A Case Study of Nepal

Sunuwar, T. R.

Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), The University of Tokyo, Japan (2020)

Health Policy HTA University of Tokyo World Bank Scholar

Master's research paper examining Nepal's healthcare challenges and proposing a comprehensive Health Technology Assessment framework. This foundational work laid the groundwork for subsequent peer-reviewed publications and policy advocacy, forming the academic backbone of Tula Raj's contribution to Nepal's health policy reform discourse.

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Op-Eds & Newspaper Articles

Public Writing

eKantipur Blog · January 2023

पेलिएका पेल्मा बस्तीहरू (Stranded Pelma Settlements)

Examining the plight of displaced communities and calling for responsive governance solutions for stranded Pelma settlements.

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OnlineKhabar · July 2022

शिन्जो आबे हत्या प्रकरणः के विशिष्ट व्यक्ति सुरक्षित छन् ? (Shinzo Abe — Are VIPs Safe?)

Analysis of security implications following Shinzo Abe's assassination and its lessons for protecting prominent figures globally.

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eKantipur Opinion · May 2020

कोरोना-संकटमा विपन्नमुखी राहत (Pro-Poor COVID Relief)

Co-authored opinion piece calling for welfare measures prioritising Nepal's most economically vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

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Collaborations

Research Collaborations &
Academic Networks

Graduate School of Public Policy — University of Tokyo

Home institution for World Bank-funded MPP (2018–2020). Research on Nepal's healthcare policy and HTA methodology.

ISPOR — International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research

Active member (No. 3232493) and Director of ISPOR Nepal Regional Chapter, promoting health economics research standards in Nepal.

London School of Economics — Global Public Policy Network

Participated in GPPN Conference 2020, presenting Nepal policy research as part of University of Tokyo delegation.

Journal of Agrarian Change — Multi-Author Collaboration

Research collaboration with Sunam, Sugden, Kharel, and Ito on Nepal's rural youth livelihoods and agricultural engagement, published 2025.

World Bank — Project Collaboration

Government of Nepal focal person for two World Bank-funded projects: Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Plan (MSNP) and Sunaula Hazar Din (Golden 1000 Days) nutrition initiative.